CELEBRITY VISITS REQUIRE BIG-TIME ORGANIZATION

Like most big cities, Cleveland gets its share of celebrities -- theater stars, opera divas, orchestra maestros, jazz musicians, rockers, rappers, book-promoting authors, political pundits past and present, stand-up comics, sports greats and used-to-be-greats -- trooping into town.
For those who take care of them during their visit, the experience can be both exhilarating and draining. Helping coordinate a successful celebrity visit to town takes the organizational skills of a 4-star general, the stamina of a triathlete and the ability to smile through high-maintenance demands.
'Contracts have to be tight. Plane, hotel, and dinner reservations have to be confirmed,' said Peggy Meldrum, former co-owner/director of the Town Hall of Cleveland speaker series. 'Every minute has to be planned.'
She recalled a sold-out program featuring former U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater that the Arizona Republican was forced to do at the last minute via a two-way speaker phone hooked into the Colony Theater. His excuse? He was called to the White House because President Nixon was about to resign.
'When you have problems, they are nightmares,' Ms. Meldrum said. But she noted that attention to the language in the contract made a big difference: because Sen. Goldwater had not appeared in person, he wasn't paid his total speaker's fee.
Marilyn Strauss, president of Guidance Systems Inc. of Cleveland, a service that works primarily with the publishing industry and public relations firms whose authors or representatives need to be in Northeast Ohio for a day or two, said she gears up for long days when she's called to guide a client around town.
'Some days with clients are 14, 16 hours long,' Ms. Strauss said. 'For the whole day, we are at their beck and call. Pleasing them is what this job is all about.'
Whether they are here for a mid-day speaking engagement or a six-week show, taking care of celebrities means guarding their privacy -- both on and off stage.
'Bac
kstage security is a given,' said Seth Keyes, fine arts manager at the Playhouse Square complex.
And when the celeb is a major player like former president Bush, Ms. Meldrum said, 'it (involves handling) bomb-sniffing dogs and wall-to-wall federal agents.'
Off-stage 'protection' is just as important, however.
Susan Mary Miller, supervisor of guest services at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, said the hotel has hosted a long list of celebrities, including Cher, Drew Carey, Joan Rivers, Patti LaBelle, Richard Simmons, and her own personal hero, Larry Doby. Part of her job is making sure they have time away from adoring fans.
'This is their home away from home,' Ms. Miller said. 'Keeping their privacy is our first and foremost goal. When people call and ask if someone famous is staying here, whether they are or not, our answer is always no.'
For performers and entertainers, classy lodgings and amenities -- 24-hour room service, in-room fax, Internet hook-ups, a gym and/or pool, on-site restaurants and masseurs, etc. -- are not ego-stroking frills. They are a subtle form of performance insurance, said Katherine Isenhart, director of marketing for Wilbert's, a Cleveland music club.
Referring to several recently featured singers, including Deborah Harry of Blondie and John Entwistle of The Who, she said, 'When they (performers) can relax, get comfortable in a nice hotel room, they perform better. That's a win-win for everyone.'
Keeping stars happy isn't just about getting the big things -- the limos, the rooms and food, the five-figure fees -- right. The little things matter just as much.
Some of the little things turn up in the fine print in contracts.
'One performer we had stipulated that he had to have a box of Power Bars (nutrition bars) before every show,' Ms. Isenhart said. 'And he ate them all, too.'
But mostly the little stuff is, well, little stuff.
'Dog walking, doing a load of late night laundry, and runnin
g errands for them (celebrities) is the norm here,' Ms. Miller said.